Exterior window coverings, such as window shutters, have been used for many years. Window shutters are positioned over glass windowpanes to protect the glass windowpanes from flying objects that can damage, or break, the glass, and enter the building. Window shutters may be used to secure a building against break-ins, and may be used to block sunlight from entering the building through the windowpane. The window covering, or shutter, may be pivoted away from the windowpane to lie flat against the building. When the shutter is pivoted away from the windowpane, it enhances the beauty and appearance of the building. Alternatively, the window shutter may be purely decorative.
There is a need to provide a window shutter that will pass missile tests that have been established by testing agencies to judge a material's ability to withstand and retard flying objects. The window shutter should also be able to perform successfully in commonly used wind load tests, which judge a material's ability to withstand stresses from continuous wind loads.
There is also a need for an window shutter that will not require substantial maintenance in adverse conditions. In particular, there is a need for a window shutter which will remain relatively maintenance free in hostile environmental conditions, such as the tropics and subtropics, where direct sunlight exposes the window covering to substantial heat, humidity, and ultraviolet rays from the sun. Further, these environments are typically near salt water, and the salt air contributes to the deterioration of building materials. Still further, these tropical and subtropical environments may experience frequent hurricanes, which means that the substantially maintenance free window covering is exposed to high winds and wind driven water.